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Lavender received Heidi Klum’s Golden Buzzer.
Lavender is blind and autistic.
Lavender was adopted.
The America’s Got Talent season 18 auditions featured incredible performances. Lavender Darcangelo had one of the most memorable auditions in the history of the show. Her performance of Irena Cara’s “Out Here On My Own” was a hit with the judges. Heidi Klum even gave Lavender her Golden Buzzer, sending her straight to the live shows. The first round of AGT season 18 qualifiers will air on August 22.
So, who is Lavender Darcangelo? Her story will move you. HollywoodLife has rounded up 5 key things to know about Lavender.
Lavender Darcangelo performing on ‘AGT.’ (NBC)
Lavender is blind and autistic.
Lavender is blind and autistic. She opened up about her disabilities in a 2019 interview with GMA. “I felt like I was lonely in my life because I have multiple disabilities in my life being blind and autistic,” she said. “Sometimes having more than one disability can make you feel like you have a foot in all these different worlds, but you don’t feel like you have a home in them completely.” Lavender has become a disability advocate.
Lavender is a singer.
Lavender went viral after performing “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid during an LGBT cabaret performance at First Parish Church in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. She began singing before she could talk. “When I was alone at night in my room, I would daydream about singing on TV,” she told GMA. “[These daydreams] were like a coping mechanism, I guess, and I just loved doing it.”
The judges praised Lavender’s audition.
“That was sensational,” Simon Cowell told Lavender after her audition. “Everything about that was just magical. Magical. You have such a talent. You have such an amazing personality.” He also added that he’ll “never forget” her audition.
Heidi was moved by Lavender’s story and performance. “I feel like I just fell in love,” Heidi said. “And this AGT journey is an amazing journey and I would love to be your cheerleader and hold your hand all the way to the finish line. What do you say?” The supermodel then pressed the Golden Buzzer, which allowed the singer to go straight to the live shows. Lavender burst into tears. Heidi gifted Lavender with a box of gold confetti from the Golden Buzzer celebration.
Lavender was adopted.
Lavender joined a mentorship program that was founded by Wil Darcangelo. He became her singing coach. Wil and his husband, Jamie, went on to adopt Lavender in 2017. “They’ve taught me unconditional love and that there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel,” she told GMA about her adoptive dads.
Heidi Klum and Lavender Darcangelo on ‘AGT.’ (NBC)
Lavender is working on her debut album.
The singer is currently working on her debut solo album titled Mosaic, according to her website. The album will feature a “wide variety of songs and musical styles” and “will honor and raise awareness of the diversity within the autism and disability community.” Lavender led the free virtual concert in honor of Disability Awareness Month back in October 2020. She sang covers of hit songs and performed an original song called “Will I Ever,” according to AP.
